- Heavy rains caused power failure in 4,000 homes.
- Torrential rains across Asia this month reportedly killed more than 100 people.
- The government called upon the army to be actively involved in the rescue operations.
Seoul: At least seven people were killed, several were injured and three were reported missing due to floods and landslides, prompting the evacuation of over a thousand people as torrential rains continued for a third day in South Korea. .
The world appears to be reeling from the effects of devastating climate change as harsh weather and devastating monsoon rains lash various regions around the world, reportedly killing more than 100 people in Asia this month alone.
Heavy rains caused power outages in 4,000 homes, landslides ravaged residential areas, damaged vegetation and infrastructure. foreign policy informed of.
The government has issued a high-alert warning of more floods later this week as experts predict up to 100 millimeters of rain.
South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Security said more than 1,560 people had been evacuated across the country, and the number was likely to rise as water overflowed a dam in northern Chungcheong province.
As of 9 a.m., more than 2,700 tons of water was flowing into the Goesan Dam per second, which is the maximum amount that can be released.
Several low-lying villages near the dam were inundated, while roads and bridges connecting villages were destroyed, leaving some residents trapped in their homes.
According to provincial officials, evacuation orders from local governments included more than 7,000 people at various times.
A slow-moving train was derailed after mud and sand fell on the tracks due to a landslide in North Chungcheong province late on Friday, the transport ministry said. The engineer was injured, but there were no passengers on board.
Korea Railroad Corp said it was halting all slow trains and some bullet trains, while other bullet trains could be delayed due to slow operations, as landslides, track flooding and falling rocks threaten safety .
In a meeting with government agencies on Saturday, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo called on the military to be actively involved in rescue activities and work with government officials to mobilize equipment and manpower.
As the world continues to witness devastating weather, climate change due to global warming is more likely to cause heavy rains across the globe, scientists say, “because warmer atmosphere holds more water”, published a report Is. BBC where did it go.
Last week, the World Meteorological Organization announced the onset of El Niño – a weather phenomenon where sea surface temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific rise at least 0.5°C above the long-term average for the first time in seven years.
The organization said this set the stage for an increase in global temperatures as well as disruptive weather and climate patterns.
Additional input from Reuters.
